What are the French known for? Yes, existentialist philosophy and admiration of Jerry Lewis, but those aren’t the things we’re thinking of. Fine food, that’s one; fine wine; and a liberal attitude toward nudity.

We’re happy to report we got to enjoy all three this week at the venerable Les Halles restaurant down on John Street.

Just a stone’s throw from the World Trade Center but tucked away discreetly, they’ll serve you the classics — escargot, soupe a l’oignon, vin rouge, creme brulee — and if you ask to be seated in the tiny private room in the back, they might even let you enjoy it in the altogether.

Now, it’s still fitfully winter outside (it snowed again this morning), so in deference to the temperatures (and the furniture), we kept our bottoms on, along with the occasional sweater or scarf.

But our indefatigable waitress made it clear she wouldn’t have been offended if we’d stripped off the rest. And you know what? French food works better when you eat it with a roomful of naked friends. (What food doesn’t? Okay, fondue. But that’s about it.)

Several bottles of wine made a fine foundation for some intense conversations–

–and much kvelling over flavors.

Want to join us for a decadent, delicious, liberating naked dinner sometime? Or maybe, when it warms up properly, a topless dejeuner sur l’herbe in the park? Drop us a note at toplesspulpfiction@gmail.com. Women of every description welcome — just bring an adventurous appetite.

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I very much support your effort for women to have the same freedom of dress as men, and I enjoy your posts. But the latest one in the French restaurant elicits a comment. I am pretty sure that men who attempted to enter the same restaurant topless would be politely denied entry. Why should women be allowed to enter the same restaurant topless? Or are you just trying way too hard to make a point? Equality works both ways.

We didn’t just walk in topless. We contacted the restaurant in advance and made arrangements for a private room. A group of men could have done the same if they wished. The restaurant was happy to have us and they have already invited us back.

I appreciate your reply. First with the weather I believe the ladies entered clothed and they “unclothed”. Second, I wonder if the men would be as “genteel” as the ladies. Third, Some of you groups were mixed, male and female. Was this a “male only” party?

Being a Native Born Frenchman, I appreciate fine food and of course, women wo are open minded and secure in their body image…I understand why you keep this open to women only…Sad that there are men, who would get the wrong message of what this togetherness really means…I do thank you for the lovely pictures of the women, and I do hope to see more along these lines …Merci Beacoup, mes amis…

Of course. Topless meals in French restaurants often end in knife fights. Not so much in Italian restaurants, though. Unless you’re dining with someone from the Corleone family—but even then it would be guns, come to think of it.

France is more open with nudity than the US (not that hard mind you), but the further north you go, the more open people are. In Germany, nudity is accepted in some parts of city parks ! (Not that I’ve personnally checked… Yet !)